Start Date: April 16, 2022
Windwillow
Final Fantasy IV
Chapter Twenty
Through the combined efforts of the world's armed forces and Cecil's party, the Giant of Babil has been destroyed. In so doing another truth was revealed: Golbez is, in fact, Cecil's older brother! Manipulated by Zemus to wreack havoc on Earth, he now ascends with Fusoya to the moon to even the score.
We now turn our attention to Mysidia, where the party rendezvoused with their allies at the Tower of Prayer.
Scene One
Everyone gathered at the Hall of Prayer, including Cecil, his allies, and the Elder of Mysidia. After a brief celebration, the group was told of the situation and the truths that were revealed inside the Giant.
"So he was manipulated as well?" growled Kain. "Now we have common ground to slaughter that monster."
Edge flipped him off.
"Oh, stuff it! You're just as bad! It's cause of YOU the Giant got activated in the first place!"
Rosa shook her head.
"Kain is a victim just as Golbez is! How horrible it must have been, to commit such atrocities against your will..."
Edge growled.
"Yeah, right!"
Rydia kicked Edge in the shins.
"Let it go!" she snapped. "We're moving on!"
"Yes, ma'am." Edge saluted.
Rosa sighed.
"Zemus has trespassed against us all..."
Cid shrugged.
"Fancy words. When do we kick his ass?"
Yang nodded.
"We must make haste to the moon."
Kain folded his arms.
"I'm going with you."
"So you can backstab us again?" Edge growled.
Kain sighed.
"If I betray you, you can kill me. Satisfied?"
Cecil stood silent. Golbez was his brother. Golbez was manipulated by Zemus, as was Kain. They both were Lunarians, and both were sired by Fusoya's brother KluYa. Everything raced through his mind over again, his thoughts cycling over and over again.
Edward put a hand on Cecil's shoulder. The Paladin startled, but quickly smiled.
"Everyone, calm down!" scolded Edward. "Show some courtesy."
Cecil nodded.
"We all have reason to fight Zemus. However..."
Edge cocked his head.
"However what?"
Cecil sighed.
"If we all go, we make ourselves a bigger target. We ought to form a team to inflitrate the moon and defeat Zemus. The rest of you will remain here to support us."
Palom groaned.
"Support how? Can't kick any ass if our foot doesn't reach."
Porom smacked her brother.
"Quiet," she snapped. "He doesn't want everyone to endanger themselves."
The Elder nodded.
"Our prayers will reach you if need be. We can observe from here."
He opened his palm and a small orb formed.
"With our magic, we'll be here if you need counsel. You won't be alone in spirit, at least."
Kain folded his arms.
"Excellent, if unconvincing."
"Shut up, you ass!" Edge growled.
Rydia slapped him.
"I said, knock it off!"
Edge nursed his wound. As he did Cecil turned to Rosa.
"I want you and Rydia to remain here," he said. "I can't allow you two to be endangered."
Rosa shook her head angrily.
"Of course we're coming!" she fumed. "You need a white mage to support you, and Rydia can back us up- you know that! You need us!"
Cecil ran his hand along her face. As she stood stunned, he stared at her with passionate eyes. He shook his head.
"Please," he whispered. "Were I to lose you, I'd be better off dead."
Rosa stared at Cecil, and turned with a huff.
"Men are such fools!" she snarled.
She stormed out of the Tower, pushing Cid aside as she did. The engineer shrugged.
"It's for her own good. Same for you, little lady."
Rydia snarled.
"I can fight!" she huffed.
Edge groaned.
"You're what, seven? We don't need any kids fighting a man's battle."
Rydia smacked him hard. As he recoiled, she grabbed him by the collar.
"Like you're any more mature than me!"
Edward brushed her aside, putting himself between the two. He shook his head. Enraged, Rydia turned to leave.
"You're gonna regret it!"
As she ran from the Tower, Cecil lowered his head. They'd fought together for so long, but he couldn't ask her to risk her life for his business. And Rosa? Putting her in harm's way was out of the question.
Kain sighed.
"Stop ruminating," he said with a smile. "You and I can handle him."
Edge fumed.
"I'm coming with you! I've gotta give that guy a piece of my mind!"
"Well, that's a small delivery." Kain laughed.
Edge grabbed him by the collar.
"You sonuva-"
Cecil grabbed Edge's shoulder. As he turned, Cecil narrowed his eyes.
"The three of us will fight together. Let's head to the Lunar Whale and prepare. I want to take some time before we head out. I have... things to think about."
Edge groaned.
"Fine, whatever. We're going now before anyone changes their mind and/or stabs us in the back!"
Kain chuckled. Even if he was a strong fighter, taking this hothead seemed a questionable idea. But they needed all the strength they could muster, and even an idiot would help. He lowered his head, and narrowed his eyes.
"Not that he isn't justified..." he murmured. "I can never face Rosa again if I don't finish this with my own two hands..."
Scene Two
Aboard the Lunar Whale, the three warriors entered the helm. As Kain examined the walls and console, Edge's only thought was the hellish trip back to the moon. Cecil stared at the crystal that would carry them there, and his thoughts were manifold.
His brother, his father... The truths were so much to take in. He had a brother who he swore to kill, when he didn't know who he really was. Golbez was another pawn for Zemus. For all the time he'd cursed Golbez, he was damning the wrong man.
Thinking back, he remembered the massacre at Mist that was set in motion by Golbez. But then, it wasn't Golbez; it was Zemus. The deaths of Anna and Tellah, the sacking of Damcyan and Fabul...
Through all his thoughts, he still couldn't understand why it had to happen that way. The man he hated was never the man he thought that he was, and his own friend was also manipulated by Zemus for his own ends.
Zemus had caused so much death and destruction, but the strings he'd pulled with Kain and Golbez stung hardest. Being forced to fight his brother and best friend pierced his heart, and now that the battle neared he could only think of Rosa.
Cecil's heart was uncertain; putting her in danger was unthinkable, but she was right. Without support he and his partners had little chance of prevailing. But there was no alternative... They had to stay safe.
As he turned his sight to Edge, Cecil smiled. The ninja was now buckled in, muttering words that weren't publishable. Kain too was strapped to his chair, his eyes turned to Cecil. He grinned.
"Stop thinking so much," he chided. "All that matters is that we'll win."
Cecil paused, and nodded. He strapped himself into the seat and touched the crystal, the heavy gravity forming and pressing the three down in their chairs. The trip to the moon was just as grueling as it was before, and as Edge shouted curses his thoughts turned to Golbez. He knew that the man was a victim, but he still felt bitter at Golbez for all he'd done.
The Lunar Whale's gravity lessened and ceased, and Cecil released himself from his chair. Edge frantically tussled with his belt and leapt to his feet.
"How many times do I have to do this?!" he shouted.
Kain unbuckled his seatbelt, and turned to Edge with a grin.
"Some warrior you are. You get shaken a bit and now you're complaining like a child."
Edge flipped him off.
"Oh, shut up!" he snarled. He staggered to his feet, and held his stomach. "I feel better already!"
As he rose, Cecil clutched Excalibur tightly.
"We have a long way to go... We'll need to go through the caves again."
Edge's jaw dropped.
"ALL of them?!" he gasped.
Cecil nodded.
"The Lunar Whale can't reach the Crystal Palace directly. There's no alternative to fighting our way through..."
His senses piqued, and he whirled around to find Rosa staring at him resolutely. He stood stunned, but the white mage slapped him hard.
"I can warp us there," she said coolly. "And if the next words out of your mouth are that I'm staying behind, I'll just follow you anyway. I... don't want to be away from you a moment longer..."
Looking at his lover's face, Cecil's own loosened. He smiled warmly and nodded.
"The four of us will..."
A crash sounded as Rydia stumbled through the doorway. She staggered, winded.
"The FIVE of us!" she huffed. "You need a summoner and I happen to be all you've got!"
She turned to Edge and narrowed her eyes.
"And if you say ANYTHING, I'll slap you six ways from Sunday."
Edge's eye twitched. He sighed, and nodded his head. He didn't want to get hit again. The ninja grabbed his daggers and sheathed them.
"We have ourselves a dream team!" he chuckled.
Kain shouldered his lance.
"And then we have you..."
Edge angrily stomped his foot.
"Stuff it already! I keep telling you..."
Rydia smacked him.
"I told you not to talk!" she snapped.
Edge groaned. She had one hell of a slap.
"But she's so charming when she gets violent..." he swooned.
Rydia cocked her head.
"What... is wrong with you?"
Scene Three
Rosa's spell managed to warp the five warriors outside the Crystal Palace, which they quickly entered. As they did they advanced past where they'd met Fusoya and reached a very familiar room.
"A crystal room!" gasped Rosa.
Cecil stepped forward and examined the crystals.
"All eight," he remarked. "Every one accounted for..."
A bright light shone from the eight crystals. Cecil quickly drew Excalibur, but as the light faded the eight crystals rose together and began to glow. The eight wondrous stones released a wave of energy that met at their center and created a glowing crest.
Cecil cocked his head.
"A... magic circle?"
The light shined again and the circle rose up into a column of light. A cascade of colors streaked through the tower of light, mixing and melding to create a rainbow-shaded portal.
"We will guide you..."
Edge jumped.
"Who the...?!"
From the crystals a dim hum reverberated.
"We will guide you to the core..."
Cecil sheathed Excalibur and turned to the party. He nodded, and they all stepped through the portal. Its colors surrounded and warped them, reality bending into an amorphous mess. When everything resettled they found themselves in a new location.
It was a massive cavern, one bigger than any castle they'd seen, with stalactites jutting down from a height beyond where they could see the top and stalagmites piercing towards the darkness above.. The ground looked like the moon's surface and seemed to glimmer with sparkles of silver, and several massive columns surrounded huge plateaus all across the landscape.
Edge's breath softened, and quickened. His eyes snapped open.
"WHOA!" he gasped. "This place almost looks as big INSIDE as the moon is OUTSIDE!"
Kain shouldered his lance.
"Meaning we have a long way to go."
Rydia sighed.
"We better get started now..."
There was a rumble, and the party drew their weapons. From far in the distance a deep thunder sounded, as the pounding of feet drew nearer. As the sound came closer it became clear of its origin: a behemoth crashed through a column of stone and stopped cold in front of the party.
As Cecil's grip on Excalibur tightened, two more crashed into view. All three roared with concussive force, knocking Edge and Rosa to their seats. Kain stopped himself by thrusting his lance into the ground, and Cecil did so with his sword, though as they did their weapons tore through the ground.
Edge staggered to his feet and gave a mighty scream.
"We can't fight three at once!" he shouted. "Remember how many Eidolons it took to kill ONE?!"
Rydia's face lit up.
"I know ONE that can get THREE!"
She clapped her hands together and a deep bellow sounded. A huge portal opened to reveal Bahamut, emerging with his claws ripping open the air. As he did, Edge nearly fell over again.
"Holy-"
As Bahamut roared, he DID fall over. The three behemoths turned and snarled at the dragon, clearly not understanding who they were dealing with. Bahamut stretched open his mouth and began to draw in massive amounts of energy.
The space around his maw collapsed inward, steadily warping the area around it, until three massive spheres of blue flame burst from his fangs. With titanic force the blasts struck the behemoths and ripped them to shreds. Edge staggered to his feet and screamed.
"Tell us next time when you're gonna do that!"
Rydia giggled and stuck her tongue out. She turned to Bahamut and smiled.
"Thanks, big guy!"
Bahamut turned to her and nodded. He vanished in a massive pressure wave and as he did Cecil turned to see the aftermath. The ground where the behemoths stood had been shattered to bits, rocky crags and steaming ash being all that remained. He smiled nervously.
"I..." he gasped. "I can't believe how powerful he is!"
Rosa nodded slowly.
"We've unleashed something truly divine!"
Rydia turned back the party and smiled. Edge staggered again and dropped to his seat.
"She's... SO COOL!" he gasped. "I SO love her when she's mean!"
Cocking her head, Rydia smirked.
"Seriously," she muttered with a shrug. "This guy's nuts."
Cecil stepped forward and drew Excalibur. He turned to the party and lifted the sword high above his head.
"Let's go!" he yelled, smiling wide. "We'll go give Zemus some justice!"
The party cheered, and they quickly ran down past the crater Bahamut had created. Now, all that remained was beating Zemus... with extreme prejudice!